78R4484 YDB-D
By: Madla S.B. No. 479
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the exemption of licensed practitioners of the healing
arts from jury service.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may
establish an exemption from jury service if the person:
(1) is over 70 years of age;
(2) has legal custody of a child younger than 10 years
of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving the
child without adequate supervision;
(3) is a student of a public or private secondary
school;
(4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an
institution of higher education;
(5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
government;
(6) is summoned for service in a county with a
population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit
juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date
the person is to appear for jury service;
(7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is an
invalid unable to care for himself; [or]
(8) except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned
for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and
the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the
three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for
jury service; or
(9) is a licensed practitioner of the healing arts, as
described by Section 104.003, Occupations Code.
SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a person summoned to
appear for jury duty on or after the effective date of this Act. A
person summoned to appear for jury duty before the effective date of
this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the
effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.